The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio Read online

  Produced by Ted Garvin, Linda Cantoni, and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

  [Transcriber's Note: The original text does not observe the normalconvention of placing quotation marks at the beginnings of paragraphswithin a multiple-paragraph quotation. This idiosyncrasy has beenpreserved in this e-text.

  Archaic spellings have been preserved, but obvious printer errors havebeen corrected.

  In the untranslated Italian passage in Day 3, Story 10, the originalis missing the accents, which have been added using an Italian editionof _Decameron_ (Milan: Mursia, 1977) as a guide.

  John Payne's translation of _The Decameron_ was originally publishedin a private printing for The Villon Society, London, 1886. TheAmerican edition from which this e-text was prepared is undated.]

  _The_

  _Decameron_

  _of_

  _Giovanni Boccaccio_

  _Translated by_

  _John Payne_

  WALTER J. BLACK, INC.171 Madison AvenueNEW YORK, N.Y.

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  _Contents_

  PROEM.

  DAY THE FIRST 1

  THE FIRST STORY. _Master Ciappelletto dupeth a holy friar with a falseconfession and dieth; and having been in his lifetime the worst ofmen, he is, after his death, reputed a saint and called SaintCiappelletto_ 16

  THE SECOND STORY. _Abraham the Jew, at the instigation of Jehannot deChevigne, goeth to the Court of Rome and seeing the depravity of theclergy, returneth to Paris and there becometh a Christian_ 25

  THE THIRD STORY. _Melchizedek the Jew, with a story of three rings,escapeth a parlous snare set for him by Saladin_ 28

  THE FOURTH STORY. _A monk, having fallen into a sin deserving of verygrievous punishment, adroitly reproaching the same fault to his abbot,quitteth himself of the penalty_ 30

  THE FIFTH STORY. _The Marchioness of Monferrato, with a dinner of hensand certain sprightly words, curbeth the extravagant passion of theKing of France_ 33

  THE SIXTH STORY. _An honest man, with a chance pleasantry, putteth toshame the perverse hypocrisy of the religious orders_ 35

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _Bergamino, with a story of Primasso and the Abbotof Cluny, courteously rebuketh a fit of parsimony newly come to MesserCane della Scala_ 37

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Guglielmo Borsiere with some quaint words rebukeththe niggardliness of Messer Ermino de' Grimaldi_ 40

  THE NINTH STORY. _The King of Cyprus, touched to the quick by a Gasconlady, from a mean-spirited prince becometh a man of worth andvaliance_ 42

  THE TENTH STORY. _Master Alberto of Bologna civilly putteth a lady tothe blush who thought to have shamed him of being enamoured of her_ 43

  DAY THE SECOND 48

  THE FIRST STORY. _Martellino feigneth himself a cripple and makethbelieve to wax whole upon the body of St. Arrigo. His imposture beingdiscovered, he is beaten and being after taken [for a thief,] goeth inperil of being hanged by the neck, but ultimately escapeth_ 49

  THE SECOND STORY. _Rinaldo d'Asti, having been robbed, maketh his wayto Castel Guglielmo, where he is hospitably entertained by a widowlady and having made good his loss, returneth to his own house, safeand sound_ 52

  THE THIRD STORY. _Three young men squander their substance and becomepoor; but a nephew of theirs, returning home in desperation, fallethin with an abbot and findeth him to be the king's daughter of England,who taketh him to husband and maketh good all his uncles' losses,restoring them to good estate_ 57

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Landolfo Ruffolo, grown poor, turneth corsair andbeing taken by the Genoese, is wrecked at sea, but saveth himself upona coffer full of jewels of price and being entertained in Corfu by awoman, returneth home rich_ 63

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Andreuccio of Perugia, coming to Naples to buyhorses, is in one night overtaken with three grievous accidents, butescapeth them all and returneth home with a ruby_ 66

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Madam Beritola, having lost her two sons, is foundon a desert island with two kids and goeth thence into Lunigiana,where one of her sons, taking service with the lord of the country,lieth with his daughter and is cast into prison. Sicily afterrebelling against King Charles and the youth being recognized by hismother, he espouseth his lord's daughter, and his brother beinglikewise found, they are all three restored to high estate_ 75

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _The Soldan of Babylon sendeth a daughter of his tobe married to the King of Algarve, and she, by divers chances, in thespace of four years cometh to the hands of nine men in various places.Ultimately, being restored to her father for a maid, she goeth to theKing of Algarve to wife, as first she did_ 85

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _The Count of Antwerp, being falsely accused, goethinto exile and leaveth his two children in different places inEngland, whither, after awhile, returning in disguise and finding themin good case, he taketh service as a horseboy in the service of theKing of France and being approved innocent, is restored to his formerestate_ 100

  THE NINTH STORY. _Bernabo of Genoa, duped by Ambrogiuolo, loseth hisgood and commandeth that his innocent wife be put to death. Sheescapeth and serveth the Soldan in a man's habit. Here she lightethupon the deceiver of her husband and bringeth the latter toAlexandria, where, her traducer being punished, she resumeth woman'sapparel and returneth to Genoa with her husband, rich_ 111

  THE TENTH STORY. _Paganino of Monaco stealeth away the wife of MesserRicciardo di Chinzica, who, learning where she is, goeth thither andmaking friends with Paganino, demandeth her again of him. The latterconcedeth her to him, an she will; but she refuseth to return with himand Messer Ricciardo dying, she becometh the wife of Paganino_ 120

  DAY THE THIRD 127

  THE FIRST STORY. _Masetto of Lamporecchio feigneth himself dumb andbecometh gardener to a convent of women, who all flock to lie withhim_ 129

  THE SECOND STORY. _A horsekeeper lieth with the wife of King Agilulf,who, becoming aware thereof, without word said, findeth him out andpolleth him; but the polled man polleth all his fellows on like wiseand so escapeth ill hap_ 134

  THE THIRD STORY. _Under colour of confession and of exceeding nicenessof conscience, a lady, being enamoured of a young man, bringeth agrave friar, without his misdoubting him thereof, to afford a means ofgiving entire effect to her pleasure_ 137

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Dom Felice teacheth Fra Puccio how he may becomebeatified by performing a certain penance of his fashion, which theother doth, and Dom Felice meanwhile leadeth a merry life of it withthe good man's wife_ 143

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Ricciardo, surnamed Il Zima, giveth Messer FrancescoVergellesi a palfrey of his and hath therefor his leave to speak withhis wife. She keeping silence, he in her person replieth unto himself,and the effect after ensueth in accordance with his answer_ 147

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Ricciardo Minutolo, being enamoured of the wife ofFilippello Fighinolfi and knowing her jealousy of her husband,contriveth, by representing that Filippello was on the ensuing day tobe with his own wife in a bagnio, to bring her to the latter place,where, thinking to be with her husband, she findeth that she hathabidden with Ricciardo_ 152

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _Tedaldo Elisei, having fallen out with hismistress, departeth Florence and returning thither, after awhile, in apilgrim's favour, speaketh with the lady and maketh her cognisant ofher error; after which he delivereth her husband, who had beenconvicted of murdering him, from death and reconciling him with hisbrethren, thenceforward discreetly enjoyeth himself with his mistress_157

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Ferondo, having swallowed a certain powder, isentombed for dead and being taken forth of the sepulchre by the abbot,who enjoyeth his wife the while, is put in prison and given to believethat he is in purgatory; after whic
h, being raised up again, hereareth for his own a child begotten of the abbot on his wife_ 169

  THE NINTH STORY. _Gillette de Narbonne recovereth the King of Franceof a fistula and demandeth for her husband Bertrand de Roussillon, whomarrieth her against his will and betaketh him for despite toFlorence, where, he paying court to a young lady, Gillette, in theperson of the latter, lieth with him and hath by him two sons;wherefore after, holding her dear, he entertaineth her for his wife_176

  THE TENTH STORY. _Alibech, turning hermit, is taught by Rustico, amonk, to put the devil in hell, and being after brought away thence,becometh Neerbale his wife_ 182

  DAY THE FOURTH 189

  THE FIRST STORY. _Tancred, Prince of Salerno, slayeth his daughter'slover and sendeth her his heart in a bowl of gold; whereupon, pouringpoisoned water over it, she drinketh thereof and dieth_ 194

  THE SECOND STORY. _Fra Alberto giveth a lady to believe that the angelGabriel is enamoured of her and in his shape lieth with her sundrytimes; after which, for fear of her kinsmen, he casteth himself forthof her window into the canal and taketh refuge in the house of a poorman, who on the morrow carrieth him, in the guise of a wild man of thewoods, to the Piazza, where, being recognized, he is taken by hisbrethren and put in prison_ 201

  THE THIRD STORY. _Three young men love three sisters and flee withthem into Crete, where the eldest sister for jealousy slayeth herlover. The second, yielding herself to the Duke of Crete, saveth hersister from death, whereupon her own lover slayeth her and fleeth withthe eldest sister. Meanwhile the third lover and the youngest sisterare accused of the new murder and being taken, confess it; then, forfear of death, they corrupt their keepers with money and flee toRhodes, where they die in poverty_ 208

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Gerbino, against the plighted faith of hisgrandfather, King Guglielmo of Sicily, attacketh a ship of the King ofTunis, to carry off a daughter of his, who being put to death of thoseon board, he slayeth these latter and is after himself beheaded_ 213

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Lisabetta's brothers slay her lover, who appearethto her in a dream and showeth her where he is buried, whereupon sheprivily disinterreth his head and setteth it in a pot of basil.Thereover making moan a great while every day, her brothers take itfrom her and she for grief dieth a little thereafterward_ 216

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Andrevuola loveth Gabriotto and recounteth to him adream she hath had, whereupon he telleth her one of his own andpresently dieth suddenly in her arms. What while she and a waitingwoman of hers bear him to his own house, they are taken by theofficers of justice and carried before the provost, to whom shediscovereth how the case standeth. The provost would fain force her,but she suffereth it not and her father, coming to hear of the matter,procureth her to be set at liberty, she being found innocent;whereupon, altogether refusing to abide longer in the world, shebecometh a nun_ 220

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _Simona loveth Pasquino and they being together ina garden, the latter rubbeth a leaf of sage against his teeth anddieth. She, being taken and thinking to show the judge how her loverdied, rubbeth one of the same leaves against her teeth and dieth onlike wise_ 225

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Girolamo loveth Salvestra and being constrained byhis mother's prayers to go to Paris, returneth and findeth hismistress married; whereupon he entereth her house by stealth and diethby her side; and he being carried to a church, Salvestra dieth besidehim_ 228

  THE NINTH STORY. _Sir Guillaume de Roussillon giveth his wife to eatthe heart of Sir Guillaume de Guardestaing by him slain and loved ofher, which she after coming to know, casteth herself from a highcasement to the ground and dying, is buried with her lover_ 232

  THE TENTH STORY. _A physician's wife putteth her lover for dead in achest, which two usurers carry off to their own house, gallant andall. The latter, who is but drugged, cometh presently to himself andbeing discovered, is taken for a thief; but the lady's maid avouchethto the seignory that she herself had put him into the chest stolen bythe two usurers, whereby he escapeth the gallows and the thieves areamerced in certain monies_ 235

  DAY THE FIFTH 243

  THE FIRST STORY. _Cimon, loving, waxeth wise and carrieth off to seaIphigenia his mistress. Being cast into prison at Rhodes, he isdelivered thence by Lysimachus and in concert with him carrieth offIphigenia and Cassandra on their wedding-day, with whom the twain fleeinto Crete, where the two ladies become their wives and whence theyare presently all four recalled home_ 244

  THE SECOND STORY. _Costanza loveth Martuccio Gomito and hearing thathe is dead, embarketh for despair alone in a boat, which is carried bythe wind to Susa. Finding her lover alive at Tunis, she discoverethherself to him and he, being great in favour with the king forcounsels given, espouseth her and returneth rich with her to Lipari_252

  THE THIRD STORY. _Pietro Boccamazza, fleeing with Agnolella, fallethamong thieves; the girl escapeth through a wood and is led [byfortune] to a castle, whilst Pietro is taken by the thieves, butpresently, escaping from their hands, winneth, after diversadventures, to the castle where his mistress is and espousing her,returneth with her to Rome_ 256

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Ricciardo Manardi, being found by Messer Lizio daValbona with his daughter, espouseth her and abideth in peace with herfather_ 261

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Guidotto da Cremona leaveth to Giacomino da Pavia adaughter of his and dieth. Giannole di Severino and Minghino diMingole fall in love with the girl at Faenza and come to blows on heraccount. Ultimately she is proved to be Giannole's sister and is givento Minghino to wife_ 265

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Gianni di Procida being found with a young lady,whom he loved and who had been given to King Frederick of Sicily, isbound with her to a stake to be burnt; but, being recognized byRuggieri dell' Oria, escapeth and becometh her husband_ 269

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _Teodoro, being enamoured of Violante, daughter ofMesser Amerigo his lord, getteth her with child and is condemned to behanged; but, being recognized and delivered by his father, as they areleading him to the gallows, scourging him the while, he takethViolante to wife_ 273

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Nastagio degli Onesti, falling in love with a ladyof the Traversari family, spendeth his substance, without beingbeloved in return, and betaking himself, at the instance of hiskinsfolk, to Chiassi, he there seeth a horseman give chase to a damseland slay her and cause her to be devoured of two dogs. Therewithal hebiddeth his kinsfolk and the lady whom he loveth to a dinner, wherehis mistress seeth the same damsel torn in pieces and fearing a likefate, taketh Nastagio to husband_ 278

  THE NINTH STORY. _Federigo degli Alberighi loveth and is not loved. Hewasteth his substance in prodigal hospitality till there is left himbut one sole falcon, which, having nought else, he giveth his mistressto eat, on her coming to his house; and she, learning this, changethher mind and taking him to husband, maketh him rich again_ 282

  THE TENTH STORY. _Pietro di Vinciolo goeth to sup abroad, whereuponhis wife letteth fetch her a youth to keep her company, and herhusband returning, unlooked for, she hideth her gallant under ahen-coop. Pietro telleth her how there had been found in the house ofone Arcolano, with whom he was to have supped, a young man brought inby his wife, and she blameth the latter. Presently, an ass, bymischance, setteth foot on the fingers of him who is under the coopand he roareth out, whereupon Pietro runneth thither and espying him,discovereth his wife's unfaith, but ultimately cometh to an accordwith her for his own lewd ends_ 286

  DAY THE SIXTH 294

  THE FIRST STORY. _A gentleman engageth to Madam Oretta to carry hera-horseback with a story, but, telling it disorderly, is prayed by herto set her down again_ 296

  THE SECOND STORY. _Cisti the baker with a word of his fashion makethMesser Geri Spina sensible of an indiscreet request of his_ 297

  THE THIRD STORY. _Madam Nonna de' Pulci, with a ready retort to a notaltogether seemly pleasantry, imposeth silence on the Bishop ofFlorence_ 299

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Chichibio, cook to Currado Gianfigliazzi, with aready word spoken to save himself, turneth his master's anger intolaug
hter and escapeth the punishment threatened him by the latter_ 301

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Messer Forese da Rabatta and Master Giotto thepainter coming from Mugello, each jestingly rallieth the other on hisscurvy favour_ 303

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Michele Scalza proveth to certain young men that thecadgers of Florence are the best gentlemen of the world or the Maremmaand winneth a supper_ 304

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _Madam Filippa, being found by her husband with alover of hers and brought to justice, delivereth herself with a promptand pleasant answer and causeth modify the statute_ 306

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Fresco exhorteth his niece not to mirror herself inthe glass if, as she saith, it irketh her to see disagreeable folk_308

  THE NINTH STORY. _Guido Cavalcanti with a pithy speech courteouslyflouteth certain Florentine gentlemen who had taken him by surprise_309

  THE TENTH STORY. _Fra Cipolla promiseth certain country folk to showthem one of the angel Gabriel's feathers and finding coals in placethereof, avoucheth these latter to be of those which roasted St.Lawrence_ 311

  DAY THE SEVENTH 322

  THE FIRST STORY. _Gianni Lotteringhi heareth knock at his door bynight and awakeneth his wife, who giveth him to believe that it is aphantom; whereupon they go to exorcise it with a certain orison andthe knocking ceaseth_ 323

  THE SECOND STORY. _Peronella hideth a lover of hers in a vat, upon herhusband's unlooked for return, and hearing from the latter that hehath sold the vat, avoucheth herself to have sold it to one who ispresently therewithin, to see if it be sound; whereupon the gallant,jumping out of the vat, causeth the husband scrape it out for him andafter carry it home to his house_ 326

  THE THIRD STORY. _Fra Rinaldo lieth with his gossip and being found ofher husband closeted with her in her chamber, they give him to believethat he was in act to conjure worms from his godson_ 329

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Tofano one night shutteth his wife out of doors,who, availing not to re-enter by dint of entreaties, feigneth to castherself into a well and casteth therein a great stone. Tofano comethforth of the house and runneth thither, whereupon she slippeth in andlocking him out, bawleth reproaches at him from the window_ 333

  THE FIFTH STORY. _A jealous husband, in the guise of a priest,confesseth his wife, who giveth him to believe that she loveth apriest, who cometh to her every night; and whilst the husband secretlykeepeth watch at the door for the latter, the lady bringeth in a loverof hers by the roof and lieth with him_ 336

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Madam Isabella, being in company with Leonetto herlover, is visited by one Messer Lambertuccio, of whom she is beloved;her husband returning, [unexpected,] she sendeth Lambertuccio forth ofthe house, whinger in hand, and the husband after escorteth Leonettohome_ 341

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _Lodovico discovereth to Madam Beatrice the love hebeareth her, whereupon she sendeth Egano her husband into the garden,in her own favour, and lieth meanwhile with Lodovico, who, presentlyarising, goeth and cudgelleth Egano in the garden_ 344

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _A man waxeth jealous of his wife, who bindeth apiece of packthread to her great toe anights, so she may have noticeof her lover's coming. One night her husband becometh aware of thisdevice and what while he pursueth the lover, the lady putteth anotherwoman to bed in her room. This latter the husband beateth and cuttethoff her hair, then fetcheth his wife's brothers, who, finding hisstory [seemingly] untrue, give him hard words_ 348

  THE NINTH STORY. _Lydia, wife of Nicostratus, loveth Pyrrhus, who, sohe may believe it, requireth of her three things, all which she doth.Moreover, she solaceth herself with him in the presence of Nicostratusand maketh the latter believe that that which he hath seen is notreal_ 353

  THE TENTH STORY. _Two Siennese love a lady, who is gossip to one ofthem; the latter dieth and returning to his companion, according topremise made him, relateth to him how folk fare in the other world_360

  DAY THE EIGHTH 365

  THE FIRST STORY. _Gulfardo borroweth of Guasparruolo certain monies,for which he hath agreed with his wife that he shall lie with her, andaccordingly giveth them to her; then, in her presence, he tellethGuasparruolo that he gave them to her, and she confesseth it to betrue_ 365

  THE SECOND STORY. _The parish priest of Varlungo lieth with MistressBelcolore and leaveth her a cloak of his in pledge; then, borrowing amortar of her, he sendeth it back to her, demanding in return thecloak left by way of token, which the good woman grudgingly giveth himback_ 367

  THE THIRD STORY. _Calandrino, Bruno and Buffalmacco go coasting alongthe Mugnone in search of the heliotrope and Calandrino thinketh tohave found it. Accordingly he returneth home, laden with stones, andhis wife chideth him; whereupon, flying out into a rage, he beatethher and recounteth to his companions that which they know better thanhe_ 371

  THE FOURTH STORY. _The rector of Fiesole loveth a widow lady, but isnot loved by her and thinking to lie with her, lieth with aserving-wench of hers, whilst the lady's brothers cause the bishopfind him in this case_ 377

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Three young men pull the breeches off a Marcheganjudge in Florence, what while he is on the bench, administeringjustice_ 380

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Bruno and Buffalmacco, having stolen a pig fromCalandrino, make him try the ordeal with ginger boluses and sack andgive him (instead of the ginger) two dogballs compounded with aloes,whereby it appeareth that he himself hath had the pig and they makehim pay blackmail, and he would not have them tell his wife_ 383

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _A scholar loveth a widow lady, who, beingenamoured of another, causeth him spend one winter's night in the snowawaiting her, and he after contriveth, by his sleight, to have herabide naked, all one mid-July day, on the summit of a tower, exposedto flies and gads and sun_ 387

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Two men consorting together, one lieth with thewife of his comrade, who, becoming aware thereof, doth with her onsuch wise that the other is shut up in a chest, upon which he liethwith his wife, he being inside the while_ 403

  THE NINTH STORY. _Master Simone the physician, having been induced byBruno and Buffalmacco to repair to a certain place by night, there tobe made a member of a company, that goeth a-roving, is cast byBuffalmacco into a trench full of ordure and there left_ 406

  THE TENTH STORY. _A certain woman of Sicily artfully despoileth amerchant of that which he had brought to Palermo; but he, makingbelieve to have returned thither with much greater plenty ofmerchandise than before, borroweth money of her and leaveth her waterand tow in payment_ 418

  DAY THE NINTH 427

  THE FIRST STORY. _Madam Francesca, being courted of one RinuccioPalermini and one Alessandro Chiarmontesi and loving neither the onenor the other, adroitly riddeth herself of both by causing one enterfor dead into a sepulchre and the other bring him forth thereof fordead, on such wise that they cannot avail to accomplish the conditionimposed_ 428

  THE SECOND STORY. _An abbess, arising in haste and in the dark to findone of her nuns, who had been denounced to her, in bed with her loverand, thinking to cover her head with her coif, donneth instead thereofthe breeches of a priest who is abed with her; the which the accusednun observing and making her aware thereof, she is acquitted and hathleisure to be with her lover_ 432

  THE THIRD STORY. _Master Simone, at the instance of Bruno andBuffalmacco and Nello, maketh Calandrino believe that he is withchild; wherefore he giveth them capons and money for medicines andrecovereth without bringing forth_ 435

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Cecco Fortarrigo gameth away at Buonconvento allhis good and the monies of Cecco Angiolieri [his master;] moreover,running after the latter, in his shirt, and avouching that he hathrobbed him, he causeth him be taken of the countryfolk; then, donningAngiolieri's clothes and mounting his palfrey, he maketh off andleaveth the other in his shirt_ 438

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Calandrino falleth in love with a wench and Brunowriteth him a talisman, wherewith when he toucheth her, she goeth withhim; and his wife finding them together, there betideth him grievoustrouble and annoy_ 441

  THE SIXTH STORY. _Two youn
g gentlemen lodge the night with aninnkeeper, whereof one goeth to lie with the host's daughter, whilsthis wife unwittingly coucheth with the other; after which he who laywith the girl getteth him to bed with her father and telleth him all,thinking to bespeak his comrade. Therewithal they come to words, butthe wife, perceiving her mistake, entereth her daughter's bed andthence with certain words appeaseth everything_ 446

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _Talano di Molese dreameth that a wolf mangleth allhis wife's neck and face and biddeth her beware thereof; but shepayeth no heed to his warning and it befalleth her even as he haddreamed_ 450

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Biondello cheateth Ciacco of a dinner, whereof theother craftily avengeth himself, procuring him to be shamefullybeaten_ 451

  THE NINTH STORY. _Two young men seek counsel of Solomon, one how hemay be loved and the other how he may amend his froward wife, and inanswer he biddeth the one love and the other get him to Goosebridge_454

  THE TENTH STORY. _Dom Gianni, at the instance of his gossip Pietro,performeth a conjuration for the purpose of causing the latter's wifeto become a mare; but, whenas he cometh to put on the tail, Pietromarreth the whole conjuration, saying that he will not have a tail_457

  DAY THE TENTH 462

  THE FIRST STORY. _A knight in the king's service of Spain thinkinghimself ill guerdoned, the king by very certain proof showeth him thatthis is not his fault, but that of his own perverse fortune, and afterlargesseth him magnificently_ 462

  THE SECOND STORY. _Ghino di Tacco taketh the Abbot of Cluny and havingcured him of the stomach-complaint, letteth him go; whereupon theAbbot, returning to the court of Rome, reconcileth him with PopeBoniface and maketh him a Prior of the Hospitallers_ 464

  THE THIRD STORY. _Mithridanes, envying Nathan his hospitality andgenerosity and going to kill him, falleth in with himself, withoutknowing him, and is by him instructed of the course he shall take toaccomplish his purpose; by means whereof he findeth him, as he himselfhad ordered it, in a coppice and recognizing him, is ashamed andbecometh his friend_ 468

  THE FOURTH STORY. _Messer Gentile de' Carisendi, coming from Modona,taketh forth of the sepulchre a lady whom he loveth and who hath beenburied for dead. The lady, restored to life, beareth a male child andMesser Gentile restoreth her and her son to Niccoluccio Caccianimico,her husband_ 472

  THE FIFTH STORY. _Madam Dianora requireth of Messer Ansaldo a gardenas fair in January as in May, and he by binding himself [to pay agreat sum of money] to a nigromancer, giveth it to her. Her husbandgranteth her leave to do Messer Ansaldo's pleasure, but he, hearing ofthe former's generosity, absolveth her of her promise, whereupon thenigromancer, in his turn, acquitteth Messer Ansaldo of his bond,without willing aught of his_ 478

  THE SIXTH STORY. _King Charles the Old, the Victorious, fallethenamoured of a young girl, but after, ashamed of his fond thought,honourably marrieth both her and her sister_ 481

  THE SEVENTH STORY. _King Pedro of Arragon, coming to know the ferventlove borne him by Lisa, comforteth the lovesick maid and presentlymarrieth her to a noble young gentleman; then, kissing her on thebrow, he ever after avoucheth himself her knight_ 485

  THE EIGHTH STORY. _Sophronia, thinking to marry Gisippus, becometh thewife of Titus Quintius Fulvus and with him betaketh herself to Rome,whither Gisippus cometh in poor case and conceiving himself slightedof Titus, declareth, so he may die, to have slain a man. Titus,recognizing him, to save him, avoucheth himself to have done the deed,and the true murderer, seeing this, discovereth himself; whereuponthey are all three liberated by Octavianus and Titus, giving Gisippushis sister to wife, hath all his good in common with him_ 491

  THE NINTH STORY. _Saladin, in the disguise of a merchant, ishonourably entertained by Messer Torello d'Istria, who, presentlyundertaking the [third] crusade, appointeth his wife a term for hermarrying again. He is taken [by the Saracens] and cometh, by his skillin training hawks, under the notice of the Soldan, who knoweth himagain and discovering himself to him, entreateth him with the utmosthonour. Then, Torello falling sick for languishment, he is by magicalart transported in one night [from Alexandria] to Pavia, where, beingrecognized by his wife at the bride-feast held for her marrying again,he returneth with her to his own house_ 503

  THE TENTH STORY. _The Marquess of Saluzzo, constrained by the prayersof his vassals to marry, but determined to do it after his ownfashion, taketh to wife the daughter of a peasant and hath of her twochildren, whom he maketh believe to her to put to death; after which,feigning to be grown weary of her and to have taken another wife, heletteth bring his own daughter home to his house, as she were his newbride, and turneth his wife away in her shift; but, finding herpatient under everything, he fetcheth her home again, dearer thanever, and showing her her children grown great, honoureth and lettethhonour her as marchioness_ 510

  CONCLUSION OF THE AUTHOR 525